Posts Tagged ‘alaska’

1. Bone Thugs – Harmony?!? That’s Earth Wind but Fire’s too busy producing Water’s new solo album.
2. Devin The Dude has done songs with Snoop Dogg. I have one of his albums. He has a viable career. What the hell is he doing at a bar called Marlintini’s? In Juneau?
3. Fun fact: Juneau is the only U.S. state Capitol only accessible by air or sea. In other words, cars, snow machines and even 4-wheelers are useless here…

I have worked for REDACTED since 10-1-2006. I left Minnesota for Alaska because the economy was better and I was attempting to escape the recession.

While I was in training for my new position at the Anchorage store, the manager of the hotel I was staying at approached me to apply for a winter management job. The hotel hired me on the condition I quit REDACTED immediately, which I did reluctantly.

9-21: REDACTED when they hired me promised me $400 a week plus board plus $150 a week in bonuses contingent upon the completion of my contract on 2-1-11.

Approximately the day after I was hired, I was informed that I would only be paid $340 a week unless I slept in a bunk bed in an 8-man shared hostel room. I was also informed the $150 bonus would only be awarded if I completely sold out the hotel every week of the winter contract. I was also informed the hotel was for sale.

They never signed my I-9 or W-4 even though I repeatedly asked them to and verbally hired me, never on paper.

The owner REDACTED and manager REDACTED flew to REDACTED 2 weeks after I was hired and left me in charge of the 26-room hotel as well as 3 employees who lived on site. After they left, I was informed that all hours I worked before they left were “training wages” and would only be paid minimum wage for those hours.

The $150 stipend allotted once a month for repairs and supplies did not begin to cover the expenses of maintaining the hotel. When I informed them over the phone that they needed to comply with fire codes and other relevant state laws, they stated I would have to pay for it myself out of my own pocket. I kept the receipts for tax and legal purposes.

As a salaried on-site employee, I always worked in excess of 50 to 60 hours a week and never signed any paperwork agreeing to these overages. I was encouraged on multiple occasions to have staff work off the clock uncompensated on their time sheets for training.

I was on call 24/7 and was not compensated for my cell phone bill in any way despite numerous phone calls, voice mails, emails, and text messages I received from REDACTED her queries immediately, she would call the phone in my hotel room until I picked up whether I was asleep or not. Despite on numerous occasions insisting that discussions happen on the clock during normal business hours, she declined to honor the original work hours we agreed to.

During my employment, I was heavily encouraged to sublet an apartment in REDACTED owned by REDACTED and rented by REDACTED during my time off. (The hotel contract was 3 months on, 3 months off.) I refused. The owner also approached me about collaborating with him on a non-profit hotel venture that would allow him to elude paying Alaska bed hotel taxes. Since the profits of the hotel currently funneled to REDACTED, a financially insolvent REDACTED based REDACTED relief agency, I declined this offer as well.

After two of my employee’s checks bounced repeatedly, it came to my attention that the hotel had been in foreclosure since March. REDACTED owes over $40,000 in back taxes and the apartment complex I also collected rent on is in foreclosure for $20,000 in unpaid back taxes. There are multiple open financial judgments against him in the Alaska court system with mentions of bankruptcy. The bank at any moment now reserves the right to seize the property, which would result in employees immediately evicted, homeless and unemployed with no health insurance.

After consulting with REDACTED, a lawyer with REDACTED here in Anchorage, I resigned immediately on 11-22 and put the keys in the safe, moved out and left. My supervisors have not left REDACTED, leaving three part-time on site employees who cannot open the safe and thus no ability to pay myself my final paycheck or themselves.

I faxed, emailed and sent them a certified letter asking them for my last paycheck mailed to me within 3 business days in compliance with state law. After they declined to do so, I filed a wage claim with the Alaska Department of Labor. The Department of Labor estimated it might take up to two years to resolve the dispute. However, there is interest applied for every day they do not pay me.

I currently work part time at REDACTED in Palmer, AK for REDACTED plus tips.

I have severed all ties on facebook with Deborah Cannon and Cameron Spillers. Adam still has possession of my two cats Jaws and Maddy, who currently still reside at Deb’s house in Rochester, MN with her dog Reggie and cat Caroline.

I have absolutely nothing negative to say whatsoever about Deb or her family. (You may recall the debacles on this website involving “relationship statuses” and Rachel Witzke and Tiffany Bruenger.) I will simply summarize the situation by stating that Deb and I obviously had an infamously turbulent, complicated relationship. We broke up and got back together multiple times over the years. I honestly wish her no ill will. The same goes for Danna Klann, my ex who in October married one of my former managers.

Originally, I had planned to only live in Anchorage temporarily but I have decided to make Alaska my permanent home. Minnesota is where I was born and where the majority of my family resides so this was a very difficult decision to make. I will not be visiting for the holidays and do not know at this point when I will be able to visit my friends in the Lower 48.

I am currently considering two job possibilities, both of which are full time with health care and livable wages.

I currently juggle 3 pre-pay cell phones, all of which I will deactivate by New Years Eve. Once I have my new AT&T number, you will be the first to know. My contact info remains as follows:

Nathan Hall

645 G Street – Suite 651

Anchorage, AK 99501

natethenotsogreat@gmail.com

You know me, unable to resist jumping at the first flimsy excuse to reference "On Deadly Ground."